2018 Lombok earthquake facts for kids

The 2018 Lombok earthquakes were a series of powerful earthquakes that shook the island of Lombok in Indonesia during July and August 2018. These earthquakes caused a lot of damage and sadly, some people lost their lives. The main earthquakes happened north of the Rinjani volcano.

Map of 2018 Lombok earthquakes

What Were the 2018 Lombok Earthquakes?

The 2018 Lombok earthquakes were a group of five major earthquakes. They were all a type called "thrust faults." This means the ground moved upwards along a crack in the Earth's crust. The center of these earthquakes, called the epicenter, was located north of the Rinjani volcano.

The Main Shakes

Here are the main earthquakes that happened:

• July 2018 Lombok earthquake: This was a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4. It happened on July 29 and was like a warning shake before the biggest one.
• 5 August 2018 Lombok earthquake: This was the main and most powerful earthquake. It had a magnitude of 6.9 or 7.0. This one caused the most damage.
• 9 August 2018: An aftershock with a magnitude of 5.9. Sadly, six people lost their lives because of this shake.
• 18 August 2018: Another aftershock with a magnitude of 6.4. This one happened late at night and caused two more deaths.
• 19 August 2018 Lombok earthquake: This was a new earthquake, not just an aftershock, with a magnitude of 6.9. It happened on a different fault line.

What is a Thrust Fault?

A thrust fault is a type of crack in the Earth's crust where one block of rock slides up and over another block. Imagine pushing two books together, and one slides on top of the other. When this movement happens suddenly, it causes an earthquake.

Why Did They Happen in Lombok?

Indonesia, including Lombok, is located in an area where several large pieces of the Earth's crust, called tectonic plates, meet. These plates are always moving, slowly grinding against each other. When the stress builds up too much, the plates suddenly slip, causing an earthquake. The Lombok earthquakes happened because of this movement along fault lines near the island.

Impact and Recovery

These earthquakes caused a lot of damage to homes, schools, and other buildings across Lombok. Many people had to leave their homes and live in temporary shelters. Rescue teams worked hard to help those affected. After the earthquakes, there was a big effort to rebuild and help the communities recover. People from all over the world offered support to Lombok.

See also

In Spanish: Terremoto de Lombok de 2018 para niños